Posthumous medals given to family of two WWII vets

HYANNIS - Tomorrow morning, US Rep William Keating will present posthumous medals to the families of two U.S. Army veterans of WWII at the Nam Veterans Outreach Center.

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Posted Feb. 18, 2013 at 11:56 AM
Updated Feb 18, 2013 at 1:27 PM

Posted Feb. 18, 2013 at 11:56 AM
Updated Feb 18, 2013 at 1:27 PM

» Social News

HYANNIS – Tomorrow morning, U.S. Rep. William Keating will present posthumous medals to the families of two U.S. Army veterans of WWII at the Nam Veterans Outreach Center.

Tech Sgt. Joseph Byrne was a Private First Class in the 48th Armored Infantry Battalion, 7th Armored Division, when he was killed in action in the battle to re-take the village of St. Vith, Belgium, a conflict that occurred in the aftermath of the Battle of the Bulge. He was promoted posthumously to the rank of Sergeant and Rep. Keating will present a Purple Heart to his sister, Regina Burkinshaw, a resident of South Yarmouth.

Cpl. William Zakrzewski enlisted in the Army a year and a half before Pearl Harbor and was assigned to a Transport Division in the Pacific. Following Pearl Harbor, he fought in the Central Pacific campaign and saw action in New Guinea. He was discharged in August of 1945. Rep. Keating will be presenting a number of service medals to his son Michael, who lives in Harwich, including three bronze service stars.

The Nam center is located at 569 Main Street, Hyannis and the ceremony is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.

State Sen. Dan Wolf, State Rep. Sarah Peake, and State Rep. Cleon Turner are all scheduled to attend.